FROM THE EARTH
Q: What is a corm and how does it differ from a bulb?
With August comes Winter’s last hurrah; the skies get clearer, the days warmer and the heart warming casseroles, sausages, roasts and stews begin to give way to fresher, lighter dishes. So, before the turn of the seasons calls for lighter, healthier Spring menus- why not make the most of the earthy, rustic flavour (and the cost-efficiency) of this season’s bulbs, roots, tubers and corms.
CELERIAC: aka Celery Root
Classification: root
Availability: all year, best Mar – late Sept
Market Update: quality is currently good and price steady
Appearance: creamy brown, knobby tuber with white flesh
Flavour: rich texture & slightly smoky flavour – cross between celery and parsley
Preparation: don’t wash until use, peel tough outer layer. Think remoulade, soups, chips, or as a side (boiled, steamed, mashed). Raw they are often grated in salads (use lemon to prevent discolouration after cutting)
Health Benefits: good source of dietary fibre and Vit C
FENNEL:
Classification: bulb
Availability: generally Mar- Nov, best Jul-Sept
Market Update: large fennel bulbs are one of our best buys this week- good supply, good quality and well priced
Appearance: firm, crisp white- light green bulb made up of overlapping stems
Flavour: light, slightly sweet aniseed flavour
Preparation: every part of a fennel plant is edible. The leaves have a stronger flavour
Health Benefits: good source of fibre, Vit C, folate, potassium, manganese and beta-carotene as well as phytochemicals and flavonoids
BABY FENNEL:
Classification: bulb
Availability: Mar – Sept
Market Update: Supply and quality good- prices fair
Appearance: small fennel bulbs
Flavour: slightly richer aniseed flavour than regular fennel. Leaves are stronger, base is sweeter and less pungent
Preparation: both leaves and base are edible. Fantastic in Mediterranean dishes, they are compatible with sweet and salty flavours. Think salads, soups, casseroles, fish dishes
Health Benefits: good source of fibre, Vit C, folate, potassium, manganese and beta-carotene as well as phytochemicals and flavonoids
GARLIC:
Classification: bulb
Availability: local season: October-May
Market Update: good supply and quality, currently imported from Mexico, Argentina and China
Appearance: vary in colour from white to pink to purple
Flavour: distinctive, pungent and aromatic
Preparation: preparation technique heavily influences the garlic experience. Break down the cells more and you get a more intense flavour (i.e. crushed is much more intense than slicing)
Health Benefits: natural antibiotic, also assists in management of blood pressure & cholesterol
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE:
Classification: tuber
Availability: best June – Sept
Market Update: steady supply and quality good, prices at standard levels
Appearance: light brown skin, crisp white flesh
Flavour: nutty, rich, sweet
Preparation: can be eaten raw or cooked as per other tubers ( baked, chipped in soups, salads, stir-fries). Once peeled coat with lemon water to prevent browning
Health Benefits: suitable for diabetics and large amounts of iron, good source of dietary fibre provides some folate and potassium
ONIONS:
Classification: bulb
Availability: all year
Market Update: brown onions are great buying at the moment, quality, supply & price good across all lines
Health Benefits: rich in antioxidants, red varieties are also good sources of Vit C and dietary fibre
BROWN:
Appearance: golden brown skin with cream white flesh
Flavour: strong onion flavour
Best use: retains flavour under heat therefore great for cooking
RED: sometimes called Spanish onions
Appearance: red-purple skin with white, red-streaked flesh
Flavour: sweeter than brown, can still have a pungent onion flavour
Preparation: raw in salads or cooked
WHITE:
Appearance: white skin and flesh
Flavour: mild onion flavour
Preparation: raw in salads or cooked
SALAD ONIONS: red or white
Appearance: immature small bulbs on a green stem
Flavour: mild, sweet onion
Preparation: the salad onion
BLACK SALSIFY: aka black oyster plant
Classification: root
Availability: generally all year, best autumn/winter
Market Update: quality good, price steady
Appearance: long, slim root with black bark like skin and white flesh
Flavour: creamy, earthy taste some compare to oyster or artichoke
Preparation: wear gloves to avoid staining hands, peel then coat immediately with lemon/vinegar water to prevent browning (often easier just to peel after boiling then prepare as desired).
Health Benefits: particularly good for diabetics, good source of fibre, manganese, potassium, riboflavin, Vit B6 & C
TARO:
Classification: corm
Availability: different for each variety but usually best May-Aug
Market Update: good quality available and prices steady
Appearance/Flavour/Preparation: for more information on Taro varieties click here
Health Benefits: 3 times the dietary fibre of potatoes, low GI, excellent source of potassium, good amounts of Vit A & C, as well as some calcium and magnesium
To find information on more root and tuber varieties- such as ginger, galangal, jicama, horseradish – click here or explore our blog- www.sgssydney.com.
A: A corm is an underground, swollen stem that houses a plant’s food stores allowing it to endure periods of shortage (such as winter). While they may appear strikingly similar to their bulbous comrades, corms are very different internally- being made up of tissue housed in a thick skin (called a tunic) in contrast to the layered structure of modified leaves seen in a true bulb. If you’re ever in doubt cut it open, a corm will be solid inside whereas a bulb will have discernable layers. Interestingly, bananas are a corm- often mistaken for a tree, banana fruit is actually produced on a pseudostem, which.. you guessed it… grows from a corm.
THE ROOT OF THE MATTER
Q: What does Kohlrabi have to do with broccoli?
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that the “beautiful rests on the foundations of the necessary” and nothing could be truer for the workhorses of the culinary world: root vegetables. Despite their functionality and crude appearance, root vegies are at the core of cuisines worldwide due to their flavour, affordability and nutritional value.
While Winter is the peak season for most root vegetables, Autumn sees early lines of root vegetables arriving at the markets- preparing us for the chilly months and comfort food to come. Here’s some of the more unusual or timely root vegetables to keep an eye out for this Autumn.
POTATOES:
While we have previously explored the most popular taters and their uses (see Boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew post) here’s some strong Autumn varieties.
Burbank aka Idaho
When: All year, best Mar - Dec
How: The chip potato! Though also good for baking and roasting
Kennebec
When: All year, best Jan - Oct
How: Starchy so make great chips but also good mash, boiled, baked or fried
Pontiac:
When: Available all year but good buying at the moment
How: General purpose, though avoid frying. Density means longer cooking time but holds shape well and has minimal discolouration after cooking
Royal Blue:
When: All year, best Feb - Aug
How: All rounder- good cooking variety (roast, mash, chip, salad)
CELERIAC: aka Celery root
Availability: All year, best Mar – late Sept
Appearance: creamy brown solid tuber
Flesh: white
Flavour: rich texture & slightly smoky flavour - cross between celery and parsley
Selection: choose medium size roots that are firm, if the leaves are still attached look for healthy plump stalks
Preparation: Don’t wash until ready to use and peel tough outer layer. Think remoulade, soups, chips, or as a side (boiled, steamed, mashed). Raw they are often grated in salads (use lemon to stop discolouration once cut)
Nutritional value: good dietary fibre and Vitamin C
KOHLRABI: aka Turnip-rooted cabbage, Cabbage Turnip
Availability: early produce at markets now, best Jun - Aug
Appearance: swollen stem at the base of blue/green leaves, stem can be red/light green (white)
Flesh: pale green - creamy white and crispy
Flavour: slightly sweeter than broccoli stems or cabbage heart. White tends to be slightly softer and milder, while red is larger and has a stronger aroma and flavour
Selection: buy med size (larger = woodier). Look for crisp, good colour
Preparation: cut off base, trim stalks. To get the most value and nutrients, cook whole with skin on then peel after cooking. Otherwise, use much like a turnip- lovely raw in salads or roasted/sauted
Nutritional value: very high Vitamin C and potassium
LOTUS ROOT: aka renkon
Availability: Mar – Nov
Appearance: root (rhizome) with reddish brown skin
Flesh: slightly crunchy, white flesh with air holes running the length of the root
Flavour: sweet, crisp (maintains texture when cooked)
Selection: firm, plump and juicy with no soft spots. The darker the root the older it is
Preparation: Peel and go. Can be eaten raw like celery or carrot on a platter or in salads. When cooking it is recommended to blanch prior to cooking to avoid discolouration. Steam, stuff, caramalise, stew, candy or use in a curry or soup
Nutritional value: dietary fibre, Vitamin C, minerals- copper, iron, zinc, magnesium
HORSERADISH:
Availability: Mar - Nov
Appearance: white, tapered root
Flesh: white
Flavour: spicy, pungent nose burn- similar to wasabi or mustard (which are in the family)
Selection: avoid shrivelled or dry roots with soft or green spots
Preparation: fresh roots aren’t pungent but (similar to wasabi) the process of cutting, grating or grinding causes its cells to breakdown and undergo a chemical reaction. This reaction releases oils which provide the pungent aroma and taste. Once prepared, fresh horseradish should be used quickly or it will lose its potency (if left exposed it can also develop a bitter taste)
Nutritional value: antibacterial (good for colds) source of potassium, calcium and magnesium
PARSNIP:
Availability: All Year, best Mar - Oct
Appearance: taproot that looks like a white carrot
Flesh: creamy white
Flavour: sweet yet with a slightly nutty, peppery edge
Selection: pick small to medium size roots (large have a woody core) with a smooth, firm surface
Preparation: Best in dishes with prolonged cooking
Nutritional value: good source of potassium, dietary fibre, vitamin C and niacin
SWEET POTATO: aka kumera
Availability: All year, best May to July
Appearance: long, tapered root with smooth skin that can be white, orange, red or purple
Flesh: can be white, yellow, bright orange or purple.
Flavour: sweet - orange varieties are sweetest due to a higher sugar content
Selection: bright, uniform skin that is clean and smooth with no cracks or bruises
Preparation: can peel or scrub the skin. The options are endless, they can transform into everything from a scone to a chip- while also good raw in salads or coleslaw
Nutritional value: Orange varieties are best for Vitamin C, beta-carotene and dietary fibre, though all are fat free with good Vitamin C, A
TARO
Selection: choose hard, firm tubers heavy for their size
Preparation: use much like you would a potato - bake, roast, chip, fry or boil or chop into soups, curries, casseroles or stews
White:
Availability: May – Jan
Appearance: small- medium tubers with brown to purple/brown skin
Flesh: white
Flavour: somewhere between a potato and a chestnut
Pink: aka Samoan Taro
Availability: Jul - Aug
Appearance: small- medium tubers with brown to purple/brown skin
Flesh: white
Flavour: slightly nutty
Yellow: aka Dasheen
Availability: Jul - Aug
Appearance: large, long tubers with a yellow skin (avoid any with pink skin as this indicates damage)
Flesh: pale yellow
Flavour: nutty, slightly sweet, dryer texture- preferred variety for Polynesian cooking
Japanese: aka Sweet White, Mini Taro
Availability: Jun - Aug
Appearance: mini tubers that grow off the main tuber
Flesh: white
Flavour: sweet, moist – preferred for Asian/Japanese cuisine
JICAMA: aka Yam Bean, Mexican water chestnut
Availability: Jun - Dec
Appearance: tan coloured tuber
Flesh: white and crunchy
Flavour: crisp and sweet (cross between an apple and a potato)- high water content
Selection: medium size, firm with dry roots
Preparation: Use like apple or pear in salads (grated/chopped) as it won’t discolour. Can be used like a water chestnut in Asian dishes or chopped into stews or soups.
Nutritional value: very good source of Potassium, dietary fibre and Vitamin C
A: Believe it or not, they are related. They both belong to the species Brassica Oleracea, which also lays claim to Brussels Sprouts, Chinese Broccoli, Broccoflower, Collard Greens, Cauliflower, Cabbage and Kale. All deriving from Wild Cabbage, these strikingly different vegetables (in both appearance and flavour) have been deliberately shaped into their current forms through thousands of years of careful cultivation by humans.